Sleeping-car



(Nb Model.)

- L. OREIGHTON.

' SLEEPING OAR.

No. 288,926. Patented Ndv. 20, 1883.

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UNITE STATES PATENT Fries,

LA'YVREJOE OREIGHTON, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

SLEEPING-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 288,926, dated November 20, 1883,

Application filed May 15, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern..-

Be it kn own that I, Lawnnnon CREIGHTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, Hamilton county, Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Railway Sleeping-Oars, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to railway passenger- I cars, its object being to improve the construction of the same with respect to accommodations for sleeping and for daily use, whereby the car maybe conveniently arranged as a sleeping car for night use and a parlor or chair car for day use interchangeably with facility. a

To this end my invention consists, first, in the construction and provision of a series of storage-compartments beneath the floor of the car for day use, and a baseframe for bedding at night; second, in the construction and arrangement of a series of upper berths hinged to the sides of the car and provided with hinged flaps, which, when let down, may constitute at the same time supports for the upper berths from the floor of the car below, and end partitions between contiguous berths of the car; and, third, in certain minor details of construction, hereinafter more fully pointed out.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the main features of my invention in respect to the principles of construction, the parts hereinafter referred to being indicated by letters of reference.

In these, Figure l is a plan diagram of a car-floor, showing the general arrangement-of the storage-compartments. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the car through the storage-compartments, showing one section in position for day use and others prepared for night use; and Fig. 3, across-seetiontaken through compartment B of the preceding figure.

The railway-car, except as hereinafter pointed out, is constructed in the ordinary manner of passenger-cars without seats; but beneath the usual floor, A, are arranged a series of rectangular compartments, B, fully open above and provided with removable covers A, which, when in position, constitute part of the floor proper, being suitably fitted to form a close joint in covering the recess B below and preventing access of dirt. l-Vithin the recess B below, and preferably attached to the under side of the cover A, as a base-frame, is abed, O, removable from the recess B when needed for use. The bed may be of any desired con struction, being preferably a light spring-inattress attached to the under side of the cover A, and the whole inverted when the bed is in use. In the same compartments may also be stored with the bed the necessary coverings, and interchangeably with the bed may be stored at night folding chairs or lounges of suitable construction, and other furniture used to equip the car for day service. The upper berth, D, consisting of a suitable box-frame with mattress, is hinged at the side to the vertical wall of the car, and provided with the usual springsheave, c, and wire rope or chain it, at one 01 both ends, for sustaining it in a horizontal position when arranged for use. The under surface of the berth D is wholly or partially covered by a lid, 6, suitably paneled and ornamented, hinged at one end to the end of the berth-frame D, and held at the other by one or more concealed bolts, f, which, when disengaged, permit the lid to drop down by its hinge g and rest upon the floor, where it engages by means of the same bolts and forms a support for the berth D, and also a partition separating it from the adjacent section. The hinge g is constructed, however, with sliding pintles, by which the support 6 and the berth D may be disconnected and the berth D swung up independently to its closed position, thus permitting the lower berth to be used independently of the upper. The upper edge of the partition eis channeled, to permita tongue edged upper part partition, h, to be slipped inward to meet a permanent partition, h, and connect therewith by a similar tongue-and groove engagement, thus constitutinga complete separating wall between adjacent sections, in connection .with the suitable projecting parts of the car-frame between sections, and held by suitable catches or bolts and the rail or curtain-rod R.

The lower berth is constructed and arranged as follows: The cover A, constituting the baseframe of the bed 0, is provided on the under or bed side with strong sliding bolts i, at opposite ends at one side, which may be pro" jected beyond the ends. In making upfoi night use, the two end partitions, 0, being let down and properly secured to the floor, the cover A is taken up, inverted and rested at one side upon the foot-bracket k, usually provided at the side of the car above the heatingpipes t, and sustained in front by projecting hinge a flap, 02, Within and at the side of the recess B nearest the center of the car, which ordinarily hangs vertically, with its upper edge forming the shoulder on which the cover A rests by day, but is held in a horizontal position coincident with the floor by night, forming a partial covering for the otherwise open cavity, as shown in Fig. 3. It is secured in such position by end bolts, 0, projected into sockets formed in the end walls of the recess B, or otherwise, as may be convenient.

In connection with the berths arranged as herein indicated, the ordinary curtains hung from the rod B may be used at night and packed away in the receptaclesB by day, when the'car is left entirely open for suitable chairs, either detachably secured to the fioor or simply-resting thereon, subject to the convenience of the passengers using them.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure. by Letters Patent 1. A railway-car constructed with a series of contiguous compartments at each side beneath the floor, coextensive with ordinary berth-sections, provided with beds and day furniture adapted to be alternately stored in said compartments, and the compartments being provided with removable covers constituting part of the floor when in place and bottoms for the bedding when removed therefrom, whereby the car may be interchangeably equipped as a chair-car by day and sleepingcar at night, substantially as set forth.

2. A railwayear provided with storagecompartments beneath the floor, co-cxtensive and corresponding with contiguous berth-sections, and with bedbottoms for lower berths, adapted to be stored in said compartments, in combination with upper berths hinged to the side walls of the car, and provided with flaps secu red to the upper-berth frames, and adapted to be let down to the floor to constitute end partitions separating contiguous sections, substantially as set forth.

3. A railway-car provided with receptacles B beneath the floor, provided with removable covers A, constituting part of the floor-space when in place, and base-frames for bed-mattresses attached to the under side of said covers, in combination with removable partitions .e, constituting, when in position, separatingvwalls between contiguous berth-sections, sub

stantially as specified.

4. The combination, in a railway car, of the receptacles B, provided with removable covers A and beds 0, and hinged upper berths, D, provided with flaps c, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. A railway-car provided with hinged up per berths, D, and permanent partitions h, dividin g sections, in combination with the hinged partition-flaps e and removable partitions 72, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my .hand in the presence of two subscribing witncsses.

LAWRENCE OREIGI-ITON. lVitnesses:

L. M. Hosnn, Louis F. ScHUnnMAN. 

